


Safe Place to Give Thanks

by TwistedAmusement13



Series: A Safe Place To... [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: All the kids are in College, Derek Hale Uses His Words, Derek uses ALLLLL the words, Hale Family Feels, Hale Pack Bonding, Holy fuck Derek uses his words, I'm sensing a theme here - Pack is Family, M/M, Pack Feels, Stilinski Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-26 19:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19774978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedAmusement13/pseuds/TwistedAmusement13
Summary: Fluffy little Thanksgiving addition to the series.... you know... in July and all that :D





	Safe Place to Give Thanks

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Safe Place to Give Thanks (Traducción)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23516092) by [lbp98l](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lbp98l/pseuds/lbp98l)



> Imma be honest…. Derek had a lot to say. Sorry not sorry that this kind of ran away from me? I’ll try and be more Peter/Stiles focused in the next installment but I was feeling the family feels in this and Derek just said all the words <3
> 
> The game they play, Shanghai, is legit, me and my family used to always play at Thanksgiving and Christmas :D Hella fun if you have enough people for it
> 
> Let’s also pretend this is like last November and not July :D

Stiles was ready for the small Thanksgiving break from school. Classes have been going well but he’s had to work hard and study harder maintain his own high-level expectations on his grades and scholastic achievements. So a well-deserved break from all of that is most welcome.

He decided that he wanted to get the Pack together this year since everyone would be back in town to visit with their families at the least, and some hadn’t left town at all, instead opting for the community college nearby. Even Jackson was going to be in town to spend time with Lydia and her family in their on-again-off-again relationship which is apparently ‘on’ for the moment.

Lydia was back from MIT; Scott, Isaac, and Allison coming up from UC Davis; Boyd and Erica having stayed close to Beacon Hills and then Stiles coming up from Berkeley. Derek, of course, hadn’t left and Peter was splitting more and more of his time between Beacon Hills and Berkeley with Stiles, not that Stiles was complaining.

But anyway, it seemed like the perfect time to Stiles to get everyone together.

Stiles had bounced the idea off of Peter one night before the upcoming break and he even said that it would be a nice thing to do. Stiles secretly suspects that Peter misses Erica at times since they have become more friendly with one another and Peter has someone he can share his Left Hand role with.

Stiles understands the importance of what Peter does in keeping the Pack safe, he would even help out more if it didn’t risk his own secret coming to light. So he encourages Peter’s growing friendship with Erica, especially since it serves the dual purpose of pulling him more into the fold of the Pack.

When Stiles broaches the idea of a get together with Derek, mainly to get his approval and commitment to attending, he’s pleasantly surprised that Derek seems to embrace it wholeheartedly. It serves to remind Stiles that Derek needs family and loved ones around him just the same as everyone else. And Pack is just another way to _be_ family with one another.

Derek even offers up the use of the loft for Stiles and goes beyond to say that he’ll make sure that there is a table big enough to seat everyone, but that Stiles would have to do the cooking since it was not something Derek was every really good at, at least not on this scale.

Stiles easily agrees and even ropes Peter into helping.

In the end, it’s decided that Thanksgiving Day everyone will spend with their respective families but the Saturday after will be for the Pack. Giving Stiles a little leeway for food prep and recovery from gorging two days before.

Peter ends up attending a Stilinski family Thanksgiving dinner with Stiles and his dad, the Sheriff only teasing the two of them for a short while before relenting and giving Stiles a heartfelt hug and telling him how happy he is for the two of them. Afterwards, Stiles stays with his dad while Peter seeks out Derek for what Stiles is hoping is some family bonding.

Whatever happened can't be too bad when Peter comes back to his apartment and cuddles with Stiles on the couch because he has a small smile on his face from the moment he walked in the door. Stiles will take it, and for now, at least, won't ask any questions. If it’s important Peter will tell him. But Peter seems content and right now that’s all that matters to Stiles.

The next day Stiles and Peter spend a lot of time in Peter’s kitchen. They prep and cook as much as they can to make the next day easier on them both, and it’s a ton of food, the whole Pack plus Noah, Melissa, Chris, and Parrish will be there, so that’s already fifteen people to feed and well over half are supernatural with appetites to match.

To lessen the strain Stiles got almost everyone to agree to bring a dish of their own to share as well, but Peter and Stiles are still providing a ton of the main staples. Two turkeys, a ham, so many mashed potatoes, and enough gravy to drown a man in, not to mention a ton of stuffing. Then there were the pies; apple and pumpkin, two variations on each, and then a blackberry, pecan, and cherry pie as well. Peter even went so far as to bake a pumpkin spice cake.

They ended up having to store the food that was prepped between Peter’s apartment and the industrial refrigerator at the loft until it was time to pop the various dishes in the oven or reheat them before serving.

All in all though, everything came together just as Stiles had planned it, even if he was stressing out over it slightly.

When it was time, the Pack sat down to a literal feast. Derek had come through on the promise of a large table and the loft was even cleaned up and looking more homey and lived in than it ever had before.

Everyone was chatting away in small groups as dish after dish was passed around and servings placed onto plates. The sound of a chair’s legs scraping back against the concrete drew everyone’s attention to the head of the table though and as Derek stood silence fell over all the attendees.

Derek cleared his throat, “I, uh, I’m not really good at this, so I’ll try to be short.”

To Stiles, the ‘wolf looked nervous and slightly uncomfortable but there was a steely determination in the Alpha’s eyes.

“There was a tradition we had in our house, before” Derek paused here and closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath in and then letting it out slowly, “and I’d like to, uh, start that again. Here.”

Derek nods to himself and looks over everyone at the table, “My mother used to give thanks to all those in the Pack. She was a good Alpha; she always knew the importance of the individual members of her Pack and always made it known what she thought of us.”

“I – I know I haven’t been the best Alpha, and I know this has been difficult for most of you, and I can't begin to express how much I appreciate the fact that you’re all here. That we’re all Pack.”

Isaac, sitting next to Derek reaches a hand up and grabs Derek’s hand, squeezing it quickly in support. Derek spares a glance down to him and gives a little smile before continuing.

Derek turns slightly and seeks out one member of the table, “Jackson, you were my first Beta, and I know you went through hell because of that and I know I didn’t have much to do with it but you have become an amazing wolf, and a good man. No matter what happens in life you always have a home here. Pack is family.”

Derek looks back down slightly at Isaac, “Isaac, I’m glad I was able to give you the strength to always fight back and that you haven’t been broken by your struggles but rather reborn despite them. You are too kind by far and I hope that never changes in you. You’re family and I will always be here for you.”

Isaac is blushing crimson and ducking his head shyly by the time Derek stops speaking and moves on the next person.

“Erica, you were always fierce on the inside before you were able to show it to the world. Sometimes I think you’re more hellcat than ‘wolf, but I wouldn’t have you any other way. You’re learning how to protect your Pack and take out threats and I couldn’t be more proud of you for taking on that responsibility.”

Erica whispers out a small ‘ _thanks Alpha_ ’ in the slight silence before Derek moves on.

“Boyd, you’re my Right Hand and you ground me in a way no one has ever before. You always keep a level head in any situation and it’s saved our asses more than once. You know the value in silence but when you speak it’s always something important and worth paying attention to. You’re one of the strongest ‘wolves I know.”

Derek seeks out Scott next, locking eyes with the Beta, “I know you never wanted this Scott, and I know it was a fight in the beginning and that we didn’t see eye-to-eye much. I’m so happy though that you’ve come to embrace the Bite as the gift it was taught to me to be. Your morality helps to guide me when making decisions and reminds me that there can be other ways of resolving conflicts.”

Scott gives a nod back to Derek and smiles at his Alpha.

“Lydia, you are a genius and a woman I would forever fear crossing should you not be in this Pack. The fact that you _are_ Pack makes me fear for our enemies instead. You have such strength and grace under pressure. Regardless of the circumstances that led you to us, I can be grateful that you are here.”

Lydia blushes slightly, just a pink dusting to her cheeks but she nods as well and even bares her throat the tiniest bit to Derek. Derek’s eyes flash red in acknowledgment.

“Allison,” the huntress perks up at Scott’s side, “it would have been my greatest mistake if I judged you for the sins of your family. I can’t say I ever thought I would call an Argent an ally, let alone Pack, but you are a formidable Hunter and an even better Packmate.”

Derek turns towards Stiles and Peter now, gazed focused on Peter whose eyes flash electric blue and Derek’s flare crimson in response. “Peter, you’re my uncle and my friend, the last remaining member of my family. You’re my Left Hand even if I’ve never said so and you protect this Pack in ways they don’t even know about, in ways I’m sure I don’t even know about. But you do it anyways. Because Pack is family and we’re all we have left of that. Your vicious protectiveness has always been to serve Pack and I will be forever thankful for it.”

“Stiles, you’re the human that runs with wolves. You’re the anchor that binds us to our humanity. You care for and take care of the Pack at every turn. You’re a tactician and can make plans for days, researching endlessly to find solutions to whatever problems comes the Pack’s way. You challenge me to do better, be better, while being the heart of the Pack. Being the one we can always turn to and rely on. My mother used to say that it took a special kind of person to be a human in a pack of wolves, and I, I think she would have loved you.” Derek slightly stutters over the last of his sentence.

Stiles can barely keep the tears from his eyes. It doesn’t help even when Peter puts an arm around his shoulder to pull him close and hold him steady.

Stiles had never known that Derek even felt like that about him, that he seems to be, in Derek’s opinion, so important to the Pack. He had always thought that Derek hated him at worst and tolerated him at best. It fills Stiles heart almost to bursting at the flood of emotions that are overwhelming him.

Derek continues on like he hasn’t just rocked Stiles’ world and making him rethink everything he ever thought before. Stiles is reeling though. He can't help it, his mind running in overdrive and he can't make it stop.

He doesn’t even hear the last of Derek’s speeches to Melissa, his Dad, Chris, and Jordan, only coming back to it as Derek is wrapping it all up.

“So thank you all again for everything that you are and everything that you do. I couldn’t be prouder of the Pack – the family – I have around me today.”

With that Derek takes his seat and gestures at everyone to finally dig in.

But Stiles can't, his eyes are still shiny and even if he couldn’t scent all the emotions of the room he would know that the dam is just about to break.

He makes a move instead, getting up from his seat and marching over to Derek, pulling the ‘wolf from his chair with only a teeny-tiny bit of his enhanced strength and wrapping him up in the biggest of all Stilinski hugs. It only takes Derek a few surprised seconds before he returns the hug as well and Stiles mumbles a little wetly into Derek’s shoulder ‘ _I love you too big guy_ ’ which has Derek replying with a small pleased chuckle and gripping him that much tighter.

When Stiles pulls back it’s only for someone else to step in the place he just was, pulling Derek into a hug of their own. Stiles walks back to his seat slowly as Derek gets bombarded with hugs or I’m-too-manly-for-this-shit pats on the shoulder with nods that shouldn’t-be-this-damn-meaningful-but-say-everything-I’m-not-actually-saying; pats and nods curtsey of Scott and Jackson.

Once everyone has sufficiently embraced their Alpha the meal actually begins.

They all eat until they couldn’t eat anymore and then add pie and cake on top of that. Anyone who hadn’t cooked in some way takes up the task of clearing the table, sorting out containers for leftovers and then doing the mountain of dishes.

Stiles ends up breaking out 7 decks of cards and deals out the largest game of Shanghai he’s ever played in his life. He goes over the rules with everyone; Scott, Noah, and Melissa already knowing how to play, and allows Lydia to keep score so he can't be accused of cheating. Once everyone has the rules down and the order of the plays needed for each hand they begin.

It’s a lot of stealing cards and bitching about not getting the card they need but it’s endlessly entertaining and they all seem to be having a good time. The various rounds end up getting almost everyone at least once and sticking them with a shit ton of points but in the end lady luck decides to favor puppies over men and women and Isaac sticks almost all of them with a full hand when he lays down in the last round. With all the points they all rack up he comes out the winner in the end with the lowest score.

The night winds down and it’s time to leave, Stiles says goodnight to everyone and retreats back with Peter to Peter’s apartment in town.

When he’s cuddling with Peter in bed trading soft languid kisses, he thinks that this is the best Thanksgiving he’s had in a long time, and with the promise of traditions started tonight, he thinks that there are many more in his future.


End file.
